Apparatus for determining and indicating a digital measuring result

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for determining and indicating a final digitalmeasuring result or value obtained from a series of partial measurements. Each partial measurement can include more than one cipher or place and can be those obtained by coarse, fine, and very fine measurements. Further, one cipher or place of a coarser measurement overlaps a cipher or place of a finer measurement to thus be twice determined. The result obtained by a coarser measurement is accordingly corrected by that obtained by a finer measurement through the utilization of an auxiliary counting stage in the following manner. Initially, the coarser partial measurement storage means is preset to a value of -5 or -6 prior to measurement of the coarser value. The coarser value is then counted-in. The finer value is then counted into the finer partial measurement storage means with the value of the twicedetermined or overlapping cipher or place of the finer partial measurement being also counted into the auxiliary counter stage. The difference between 10 and the value stored in the auxiliary counting stage is then fed into the coarser partial measurement storage means. In this manner, the second finest cipher or place in the coarser partial measurement storage means is corrected by normal counter transfer or carryover. The value of the finest cipher or place in the coarser partial measurement storage means is not indicated.

United States Patent 3,440,410 4/ l 969 Ofi'ereins APPARATUS FORDETERMINING AND INDICATING A DIGITAL MEASURING RESULT 4 Claims, 4Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 235/92; 318/18: 340/347 Int. Cl G06m 3/08 Field of Search 235/92;318/20; 340/347 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS PrimaryE.\'aminerMaynard R. Wilbur Assistant Examiner-Joseph M. Thesz, .l r.Almrney-Jacobi. Davidson and Kleeman ABSTRACT: An apparatus fordetermining and indicating a final digital-measuring result or valueobtained from a series of partial measurements. Each partial measurementcan include more than one cipher or place and can be those obtained bycoarse,'fine. and very fine measurements. Further, one cipher or placeof a coarser measurement overlaps a cipher or place of a finermeasurement to thus be twice determined. The result obtained by acoarser measurement is accordingly corrected by that obtained by a finermeasurement through the utilization of an auxiliary counting stage inthe following manner. Initially, the coarser partial measurement storagemeans is preset to a value of 5 or 6 prior to measurement of the coarservalue. The coarser value is then counted-in. The

finer value is then counted into the finer partial measurement storagemeans with the value of the twice-determined or overlapping cipher orplace of the finer partial measurement being also counted into theauxiliary counter stage. The difference between 10 and the value storedin the auxiliary counting stage is then fed into the coarser partialmeasurement storage means. In this manner, the second finest cipher orplace in the coarser partial measurement storage means is corrected bynormal counter transfer or carryover. The value of the finest cipher orplace in the coarser partial measurement storage means is not indicated.

PATE'NTEUFEB 2191: V 3560.722

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KIWI/11170 k PATENTED FEB 2:911

SHEET 3 OF 3 COUNTER STAGE COUNTER- STAGE COUNTER- S TAGE APPARATUS FORDETERMINING AND INDICATING A DIGITAL MEASURING RESULT BACKGROU ND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to an improved apparatus fordetermining and indicating a final digital-measuring result or valuewhich is obtained from coarse, fine and very fine partial measurementvalues, each partial measurement value having more than one cipher orplace.

In order to determine a physical magnitude with extremely greatprecision, measuring techniques are oftentimes employed which onlydeliver partial measurements. The total or final measuring valve mustthen be obtained from these partial measurements.

One such measuring technique is based upon determining how often amaximum or coarse unit of measurement appears in the value to bemeasured, how often a smaller or fine unit of measurement appears in theresulting remainder, and how often a still smaller or very fine unit ofmeasurement appears in the still remaining remainder, and so forth. Ifadditional digit places are ascertained during each partial measurementwhich are not taken into consideration or compensated during thedetermination of a remainder for the next partial measurement, thensuccessive partial measurements will have overlapping ortwice-detennined ciphers or places. For example, a sample number havingplace values WXYZ could be determined by a three place coarsemeasurement responsive to place values WXY of the sample number and by atwo place finer measurement responsive to place values YZ of the samplenumber. Thus, place value Y of the sample number overlaps during eachpartial measurement and is twice-determined. Naturally, thetwice-determined place values of the finer partial measurement would bemore exact than the corresponding cipher or place of the coarsermeasurement.

An apparatus is known to the art which determines and indicates thetotal measuring value from the determined partial measurement values,wherein the twice-detennined or overlapping place value which resultsfrom the coarser partial measurement is corrected to increase theaccuracy of the final measurement. In this regard, correction takesplace in the fol lowing manner: Means are provided which ascertain thedifference between the corresponding twice-determined place I values ofthe coarser measurement and of the finer measure ment and correct suchin a manner that the overlapping place value derived by the smallestpossible number of digital steps, such as the place value determinedduring the coarser measurement, is brought to the value of the finermeasurement. The next coarser places of the coarse measuring result areadjusted by place value-transfer means or carryover within the coarsecounter stage upon transition through the numeral zero. In other words,referring back to the example above, the place value Y of the coarsemeasurement WXY of sample number WXYZ is brought to the value of placevalue Y of the finer measurement YZ of the number WXYZ. The place valuesWX of the coarse measurement WXY will accordingly be adjusted bycarryover from place Y to place X and from place X to place W. Duringthe indicating operation, one of the twice-determined place values whichhave been corrected is covered, so that it will not be read twice in thefinal readout.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present inventionto provide an improved apparatus for determining and indicating adigital, for example decadic, measuring result which has been obtainedfrom coarse, fine and very fine partial measurement values, each partialmeasurement value having more than one cipher or place.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a partialmeasurement apparatus utilizing only forward counting counter stages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a countingapparatus having a minumum of additional components to efiect correctionof partial measurements.

It is another object of the present invention to provide countingapparatus which derives the criterium for correction of a partialmeasurement result from a single-counting operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a countingapparatus for the reception of an optional number of partial measurementvalues.

Now, in order to implement these and still further objects of thepresent invention which will become more readily apparent as thedescription proceeds, it will be understood that the inventive apparatusis manifested by the features that an auxiliary counting stage isconnected in parallel 'through switch means with the coarsest countingstage of a fine partial measurement storage means during the counting-inof the fine partial measurement value. Thus, if the fine partialmeasurement storage means included a plurality of counters responsive todigit places X, Y and Z respectively of a sample number WXYZ, theauxiliary counter would be placed in parallel to the counter responsiveto digit place X, the coarsest counting stage of the fine partialmeasurement storage means. The auxiliary counting stage provides anoutput signal whenever the intemal counted or stored signal reaches azero value. Furthermore, the coarse partial measurement storage means ispreset by further switch means to a value of --5 or -6 respectively,prior to counting-in of the coarse partial measurement value. Thedifference between 10 and the value of the auxiliary counting stage isthen transferred into the coarser partial measurement storage means byan inpulsing device which is controlled by the output signal of theauxiliary counting stage and which can be connected by means of thefirst-mentioned switch means to the auxiliary counting stage and to thecoarser partial measurement storage means.

The inventive apparatus has the advantage that, in contradistinction toprevious known techniques, no means are required for actually comparingthe overlapping place values of the coarse and fine partial measurementstorage means prior to correction. A further advantage of the inventiveapparatus is realized in that only counting stages which count in onedirection are required.

The inventive apparatus is based upon the concept that the criterium forthe correction of the coarser partial measurement value can be derivedfrom merely one-counting operation. This is the case since theoverlapping or twice-deter mined place value a of the coarse partialmeasurement value and the corresponding overlapping place value b of thefine partial measurement value are counted or fed into acorrection-counting circuit which undertakes the correction in thecoarser partial measurement storage means on the basis of the resultobtained in this correction-counting circuit alone. A particularlyfavorable physical construction is obtained if the coarser partialmeasurement storage means in simultaneously utilized as thecorrection-counting circuit, as such is contemplated by the inventiveapparatus. The corrected partial measurement value appears in the coarsepartial measurement storage means in that, from the place value a whichis stored in the coarse partial measurement means, the place value b ofthe fine partial measurement storage means is subtracted and the value 5or 4 added.

An example of a measurement in which the coarse-fine measuring techniqueis utilized is electronic distance measuring. As a measurement fordistance, the transit time of transmitted electromagnetic oscillationsis evaluated. The measuring techniques which are thus employed aresufficiently known. One such technique, for example, is described in US.Pat. No. 2,907,999 to which reference may be readily had.

It is assumed that during the measurement of a distance of I 1,137meters, for example, the following values result:

Coarse partial measurement value 109 Fine partial measurement value 137The overlapping positional value in the coarse partial measurementstorage is: a 9. The overlapping positional value in the fine partialmeasurement storage is: b l.

The result of the counting operation in the coarser partial measurementvalue a b+ or 4, Equation l or also a lO-b) 5 or -6, Equation 2.

The performance of the counting operation according to Equation 2 hasthe advantage that only forwardly counting counting stages arenecessary.

In the above-indicated counting example there now occurs correction ofthe coarse partial measurement value in a manner such that from thevalue a 9, there is added the value lO-b) 9 and the value 5 issubtracted. Hence, at the finest position of the coarse partialmeasurement value storage there appears the following result:

Since a two-place number has been obtained as a result of the countingoperation, there is a transfer of l to the second finest location orplace in the coarse partial measurement value storage. In the coarsepartial measurement value storage, there now appears the value l 13. Thefinest position of the coarse partial measurement value is meaninglessfor the readout and is not utilized. There thus is given a measurementvalue of:

Coarse partial measurement value 113 Fine partial measurement value 137BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be betterunderstood, and objects other than those set forth above will becomeapparent when consideration is given to the following detaileddescription thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexeddrawings, depicting two embodiments of the inventive apparatus andwherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are result tables or charts of the correctioncountingoperation;

FIG. 3 schematically depicts an inventive apparatus for determining thefinal digital measuring result from a fine and a coarse measurementvalue; and

FIG. 4 depicts a second embodiment of the inventive apparatus in which apartial measurement-intermediate storage is connected between the inputand the indicating counting stages.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now to the l as inFIGS. 1 and 2 there have been compiled in tables or charts the resultsof the correction-counting operation a -h) 5 and as takes place in thecoarse partial measurement storage means. The overlapping place valuesof the coarse and fine partial measurement storage means are labeled aand b, respectively. Under a there have been plotted the overlappingvalues of the coarse partial measurement and at b there are plottedthose overlapping values of the fine partial measurement. The two-digitresults cause a correction in the positive sense, the negative resultscause a correction in the negative sense. The remaining results cause nocorrection. During a correction in the positive or negative sense, theplace value contained in the counting stage of the second smallest unitof the coarse partial measurement storage means is increased ordecreased, respectively, by one unit.

From FIGS. 1 or 2, it can be recognized for which combina tions of theoverlapping place values a and b corrections are undertaken.

The numerals 5 or 6 in Equation 2 gives the correctioncriterium-limitswith respect to the place values a and b Since,

as assumed, the error of a partial measurement is not greater than fourof the smallest units, only such overlapping values are to be taken intoconsideration for the correction which atmost differ by four units (eg.a 4, b= O or a= 6, b 0). Therefore, results of 10 and zero in FIG. I andresults such as l and 9 in FIG. 2 cannot appear at all. The resultantcorrections shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are identical, because the two-digitresults and the negative results are at the same places.

FIG. 3 depicts an apparatus for determining a final measuring resultfrom a respective coarse and fine partialmeasurement which overlap byone place as discussed above, and wherein the correction of the coarsepartial measurement value is obtained by means of a counting operation.

The electrically interconnected decadic counting or counter stages 1, 2,3 or 4, 5, 6, respectively, each represent a three-place orthree-position partial measurement "storage means. Of the counted-in orinfed partial measurement values at the inputs G or F of the countingstages I, 2, 3 and 4, 5, 6, respectively, there is stored in thecounting stages 1 or 4 the hundreds value, in the counting stages 2 or5, the tens value, and in the counting stages 3 or 6 the units value.The counting stages I and 2 are presettable to the place value 9 and thecounting stage 3 is presettable to the place value 5 in that settingvoltage is applied from the voltage source U through the switches 9, l0and l 1 to the junctions or connections 2.

The auxiliary counting stage 7 can be connected by means of the selectoror double-throw switch 13 with the input of the counting stage 4 or withthe output of the impulse transmitter or impulsing device 8 whichsimultaneously is coupled via the switch 12 with the input of countingstage 3 of the coarse partial measurement storage means. The auxiliarycounting stage 7 possesses a null value-output 0 which delivers anoutput signal potential during the internal place value null or zero ofthis stage. The switch contacts 9 to 15 are actuated by a nonillustratedprogramming transmitter or device. The impulse transmitter or impulsingdevice 8 consists of a pulse generator 16, a flip-flop stage 17, anAND-gate 18 as well as an AND- NOT-gate 19. The pulse generator 16 iscoupled via a switch 14 with the direct" input of the AND-NOT-gate l9and with the input of the flip-flop stage 17. This flip-flop stage 17can be placed in an output state or condition which is electricallyneutral, hereinafter referred to as electrically neutral or dead," inthat the voltage U is connected via the switch 15 to the input Z. Aconnection leads to the inverted" input of the AND-NOT-gate 19 throughthe output of the AND-gate 18. This AND-gate 18 is connected at one ofits inputs with the output of the flip-flop stage 17 and at the other ofits inputs with the null value-output signal terminal 0 of the auxiliarycounting stage 7.

The impulsing device 8 serves to deliver pulses to the auxiliarycounting stage 7 and the counting stage 3 of the coarse partialmeasurement storage means as soon as the switch 14 is closed, andspecifically for such length of time until an output signal potentialappears at the null value-output 0 of the auxiliary counting stage 7. Aparticular characteristic of the circuit resides in the fact that thedelivery of pulses also begins when the auxiliary counting stage 7internally stores a place value null or zero. Therefore, in every case,a number of pulses are transmitted which correspond to the differencebetween 10 and the internal place value storage of the auxiliarycounting stage 7.

The inventive apparatus depicted in FIG. 3 functions as follows: i

A number of pulses which are proportional to the fine partialmeasurement value are delivered via the input F to the counting stage 6of the fine partial measurement storage means. The input of theauxiliary counting stage 7 is connected in parallel to the input of thehundreds-counting stage 4 by means of the switch 13. This results in theoverlapping place value b likewise being counted into the auxiliarycounting stage 7 as well as counting stage 4. A number of pulses whichare proportional to the coarse partial measurement value arrive viatheinput G and the switch 12 at the input of the coarse partial measurementstorage means. The coarse partial measurement storage means has beenpreviously preset to the value -5, which, in this three-positionedstorage means, corresponds to the value 995. Accordingly, there isstored in the counting stage 3 of the coarse partial measurement storagemeans the overlapping place value a reduced by the presetting, whichcorresponds to the value (a-5 Now, in order to trigger thecorrection-counting operation, the switches l2, l3 and 14 are thrown.The pulse generator l6 delivers pulses via the AND-NOT-gate 19 to theauxiliary counting stage 7 and to the counting stage 3 of the coarsepartial measurement storage means until the null value-output terminalof the auxiliary counting stage 7 delivers a signal voltage and blocksthe pulse transmission through the AND- gate 18 and the AND-NOT-gatel9.in so doing, the flip-flop stage 17 is flipped by the first pulse of thepulse generator 16 and delivers at its output a signal potential to theinput of the AND-gate 18. The AND-gate 18 then delivers an output itselfas soon as signal voltage is deliveredfrom the null value-outputterminal 0 of the auxiliary counting stage 7 to the other input of theAND-gate 18. The output from the AND-gate 18 serves to blockAND-NOT-gate 19. During the correction operation, the auxiliary countingstage 7 is counted from the stored value b to a null or zero value bypulses from the impulsing device 8, wherein, the required number ofpulses for this purpose are likewise counted into the coarse partialmeasurement storage means through counter 3. Consequently, in the coarsepartial measurement storage means, the value (lO-b) is added to thealready stored value (a). Accordingly, there is stored in the countingstage 3 of the coarse partial storage means the unit place of the resultplotted in FIG. land an eventual correction of the counting stage 2 andalso the counting stage 1 by means of transfers or carryovers isundertaken.

A correction of the coarse partial measurement value in the negativesense is achieved in that the value-reduction of the stage 2 due to thepresetting of the partial measurement storage means to the value 995 isnot compensated by counting in the value a l0 b), since no transfer orcarryover occurs. No correction of the coarse partial measurement valuetakes place when the place value reduction of the stage 2 due to thepresetting is compensated because of a place transfer or carryoverduring the counting in of the value a b occurs. A correction in thepositive sense results when two place transfers or carryovers occur atthe counting stage 2 because of the counting-in of the value a l0 b).

The indicating of the stored final corrected digital-measuring resultcan be carried out by the counting stages if such are appropriatelyconstructed for this purpose, or else separate indicating devices can beprovided in which the measured value is transmitted. The value of thecounting stage 3 is not taken into consideration during the indicationor reading.

A second embodiment of the inventive apparatus is depicted in FIG. 4. Inthis circuit a partial measurement intermediate storage means iselectrically connected between the input E and the indicating countingstages 36 to 41. At this partial measurement intermediate storage means,the pulses are counted and the partial measurement value is brieflystored for the purpose of correction. The two-digit or twopositionintermediate storage means is formed by three decadic counting stages30, 31 and 32. The coarsest place value of the intermediate storagemeans can be provided by either of the counting stages 31 and 32. Eitherthe counting stage 31 or 32 is connected together with the countingstage 30 by means of the contacts 51 and 52 or 51 and 53, respectively,to form the two-digit or two-position intermediate storage means. Thecounting stages 31 and 32 are each electrically coupled with arespective impulse transmitter or impulsing device 34 and 35. The outputof the impulsing device 34 leads via the contact 52 to the countingstage 31, via the contact 50 to the input of the intermediate storagemeans, and via the contacts 70 or 72 or 74 to an indicating countingstage. The output of the impulsing device 35 leads via the contact 53 tothe counting stage 32, via the contact 50 to the input of theintermediate storage means, and via a contact 73 or 7 l to an indicatingcounting stage. The indicating counting stages are constructed to countbackwards. The counting stages 30. 3| and 32 are presettable in thatvoltage can be applied to the te rminals or conductors 20, or 29 bymeans of the contacts 57,

58, 59, 60, or 61. Furthermore, a pulse transmitter 33 is provided whichis connected via the switch 54 with the direct" input of theAND-NOT-gate 42, the inverted" input of which leads to the nullvalueoutput terminal 0 of the counting stage 30. At the output of theAND-NOT-gatc 42, the indicating counting stage 36 is connected, and viathe contact 50, the counting stage 30. The contacts 50 and 74 arecontrolled by a nonillustrated programming device or a programmingtransmitter e.g., by a cam shaft.

The apparatus depicted in FIG. 4 has the advantage that it can beconstructed for the reception of an optional number of partialmeasurement values. For each additional partial measurement, it is onlynecessary to connect a further indicating counting stage. Thedetermination and indication of a measurement result with this inventiveapparatus takes place in the manner to be described hereinafter. Theposition of the switch contacts of the programming device is onlymentioned for the position which differs from that shown in the drawingduring the subsequent description of the fixedly programmed operations.

Presetting for the counting-in: The counting stages 30 and 31 areadjusted to the value null or zero by closing the contacts 58 and 60respectively,

Counting-in: The number of pulses which are proportional to the finepartial measurement value arrive via the input E and the switch 50 atthe counting stage 30 in which the unit value of the partial measurementis stored. The pulses corresponding to the tens unit of this partialmeasurement are delivered from the counting stage 30 via the switches 51and 52 to the counting stage 31.

Counting-out: The contact 50 is in position 0 the contacts 51 and 53 arein position b and the contact 54 is closed. Pulses are delivered fromthe pulse transmitter sender 33 via the switch 54 to the inverted inputof the AND-NOT-gate 42. If the counting stage 30 does not internallystore the value null or zero, then the null position output signalterminal 0 is elcctrically neutral or dead. In this case, the pulses canpass the gate 42 and arrive not only at the counting stage 30 but alsoat the indicating counting stage 36 in which the finest units areindicated.

Presetting for counting-in and correction: The contact 50 is in positiona, the contacts 51 and 52 are in position b, the contacts 57, 61 and 62are closed. The counting stage 30 is adjusted to 5, the counting stage32 to 9, and the flip-flop stage 43 is adjusted to be electricallyneutral or dead.

Counting-out and transfer: The contact 50 is in position a, the contacts51 and 52 are in position b. The contacts 55 and are closed. Theimpulsing device 34 delivers a number of pulses corresponding to thedifference between l0 and the value storedin the counting stage 31.These pulses arrive at the counter 31, at the indicating counting stage37, and at the counting stage 30. During this operation, the differencel0 b is formed with the aid of the counting stage 31 acting as theauxiliary counting stage and such is transmitted to the intermediatestoragemeans which has been preregulated to 5. In the indicatingcounting stage 37, the second finest units are indicated.

Counting-in and correcting: The contact 51 is in position b. Now, ifduring this counting operation there is counted into the counting stages30 and 32 the next coarser partial measurement value, then there isformed in the counting stage 30 the result a l0 b) with possibletransfer into the count- 1 ing stage 32, whereby the correction of thispartial measurement value takes place.

Presetting for the counting-in and correction: The contact 50 is inposition d. the contact 53 is in position b. The contacts 57, 59 and 63are closed. The counting stage 30 is adjusted to 5, the counting stage31 to 9, and the flip-flop stage 44 is adjusted to be electricallyneutral or dead.

stored in the counting stage 32. These pulses arrive at the countingstage 32. at the indicating counting stage 38, and at the counting stage30. During this operation there is formed the difference (10 b with theaid of the counting stage 32 functioning as the auxiliary counting stageand such is transmitted to the intermediate storage means preset at 5.ln the indicating counting stage 38, there are indicated the thirdfinestunits.

Foreach further partial measurement, the following operations arerepeated in analogous manner: counting-in and correction, presetting forthe counting-in and correction as well as the counting-out and transfer.In so doing, the operations are alternately carried out via theintermediate storage means consisting of the counting stages 30 and 31and that consisting of the counting stages 30 and 32.

The apparatus can also be constructed for nondecadic counting systems.in such case, the presetting of the coarser partial measurement storagemeans and the formation of the difference (a b) then takes place in amanner corresponding to the system.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiinents of theinvention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practicedwithin the scope of the following claims. ACCORDINGLY,

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for determining and indicating a digital measurementresult composed of a plurality of at least twodigit partial measurementswhich are derived from coarse, fine and very fine partial measurements,said two-digit partial measurements overlapping by at least one-digitplace with the next coarser and the next finer partial measurementvalues, respectively, and possessing an error not greater than 1 four ofthe lowest units of the relevant partial measurement value, whereinmultipositional partial measurement storage means are provided for thepartial measurement values, said storage means being composed of anumber of counting stages corresponding to the number of digit places ofthe partial measurement value and being connected with means which inthe presence of a difference between two overlapping digit place values,undertake a correction of the coarser of the two partial measurementvalues, and wherein only a respective one of the two overlapping digitplaces is indicated, the improvement comprising:

auxiliary counting means providing an output for a null value internalstored count, said auxiliary counting means having an input;

first switch means for connecting said input of said auxiliary countingmeans in parallel with the coarsest counting stage of the finer partialmeasurement storage means dur-' ing counting-in ofthe finer partialmeasurement value;

second switch means for presetting the coarser partial measurementstorage means to a value between 5 and 6 inclusive prior to counting-inof the coarser partial measurement value; and

transfer means for transferring the difference between ten and theinternal stored count of said auxiliary counting means into said coarserpartial measurement storage means, said transfer means including animpulse device controlled by said output of said auxiliary countingmeans and connected to said input of said auxiliary counting means andto said coarse partial measurement storage means.

2 The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein said im pulse devicecomprises:

a pulse generator;

flip-flop means having an input connected to said pulse generator and anoutput;

an AND-gate having first and second inputs and an output,

said first input being connected to said output of said auxiliarycounting means, said second input being connected to saidoutput of saidflip-flop means; and

an AND-NOT-gate having an inverted input, a direct input, and an output,said inverted input being connected to said output of said AND-gate,said direct input being connected to said pulse generator, and saidoutput being connected to said input of said auxiliary counting meansand to said coarse partial measurement storage means.

3. The improvement as defined in claim 2, wherein said multipositionalpartial storage means comprises an indicating partial measurementstorage means, said multipositional partial measurement intermediatestorage means for briefly storing partial measurement values providedbetween the input for said partial measurement values and saidindicating partial measurement storage means; means for transferringsaid briefly stored partial measurement values from said inter mediatepartial measurement storage means to said indicating partial measurementstorage means; said intermediate partial measurement storage means beingprovided with two counting stages for alternately storing the coarsestunits of said briefly stored partial measurement values, said twocounting stages each including an impulse device and being connected viaswitch means with said input of said intennediate partial rneasurementstorage means and with an associated counting stage of said indicatingpartial measurement storage means.

4. The improvement as defined in claim 3, wherein said switch means iscontrollable by a programming device.

1. In an apparatus for determining and indicating a digital measurementresult composed of a plurality of at least two-digit partialmeasurements which are derived from coarse, fine and very fine partialmeasurements, said two-digit partial measurements overlapping by atleast one-digit place with the next coarser and the next finer partialmeasurement values, respectively, and possessing an error not greaterthan + OR - four of the lowest units of the relevant partial measurementvalue, wherein multipositional partial measurement storage means areprovided for the partial measurement values, said storage means beingcomposed of a number of counting stages corresponding to the number ofdigit places of the partial measurement value and being connected withmeans which in the presence of a difference between two overlappingdigit place values, undertake a correction of the coarser of the twopartial measurement values, and wherein only a respective one of the twooverlapping digit places is indicated, the improvement comprising:auxiliary counting means providing an output for a null value internalstored count, said auxiliary counting means having an input; firstswitch means for connecting said input of said auxiliary counting meansin parallel with the coarsest counting stage of the finer partialmeasurement storage means during counting-in of the finer partialmeasurement value; second switch means for presetting the coarserpartial measurement storage means to a value between - 5 and - 6inclusive prior to counting-in of the coarser partial measurement value;and transfer means for transferring the difference between ten and theinternal stored count of said auxiliary counting means into said coarserpartial measurement storage means, said transfer means including animpulse device controlled by said output of said auxiliary countingmeans and connected to said input of said auxiliary counting means andto said coarse partial measurement storage means. CM,2Mprovement definedin claim 1, wherein said impulse device comprises: a pulse generator;flip-flop means having an input connected to said pulse generator and anoutput; an AND-gate having first and second inputs and an output, saidfirst input being connected to said output of said auxiliary countingmeans, said second input being connected to said output of saidflip-flop means; and an AND-NOT-gate having an inverted input, a directinput, and an output, said inverted input being connected to said outputof said AND-gate, said direct input being connected to said pulsegenerator, and said output being connected to said input of saidauxiliary counting means and to said coarse partial measurement storagemeans.
 3. The improvement as defined in claim 2, wherein saidmultipositional partial storage means comprises an indicating partialmeasurement storage means, said multipositional partial measurementintermediate storage means for briefly storing partial measurementvalues provided between the input for said partial measurement valuesand said indicating partial measurement storage means; means fortransferring said briefly stored partial measurement values from saidintermediate partial measurement storage means to said indicatingpartial measurement storage means; said intermediate partial measurementstorage means being provided with two counting stages for alternatelystoring the coarsest units of said briefly stored partial measurementvalues, said two counting stages each including an impulse device andbeing connected via switch means with said input of said intermediatepartial measurement storage means and with an associated counting stageof said indicating partial measurement storage means.
 4. The improvementas defined in claim 3, wherein said switch means is controllable by aprogramming device.